Variable-speed transmission mechanism.



APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1911.

. Patented Apr. 1912.

2 SHEETS- SHEET 1.

L. J. CAMPBELL.

VARIABLE SPEED TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 17, 1911.

2 BHBETSSHEET 2.

' msess E f I 1m, 7 44/ UNITED STATES PATH F1 LEON J. CAMPBELL, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIG-NOR '10 JAMES '1". HEALY, TRUSTEE,

OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VARIABLE-SPEED TRANSMISSION MECHANISM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed June 17, 1911.

To all whom 2'25 may concern:

and to provide a very strong and construction. adapted for high speedmotor Be it known that I, LEON J. CAMPBELL, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and residing at Chicago, in the county of-Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Variable SpeedTransmission Mechanism, of which the following is a completespecification.

The main objects of this invention are to provide an improved variablespeed transmission mechanism; to provide a variable speed transmissionmechanism in which high speed is obtained by direct connection of thedriven shaft with the motor shaft; to provide a variable speed"transmission mechanism adapted to run from one speed to another withbut slight noise and jaron the mechanism; to provide a variable speedtransmission mechanism in which the speeds may be changed with great raidlty; urable locking the transmission gears to the transmission shaft.

The construction herein shown is an improvement on the constructionshown in my copending application for patent on speed transmissions,filed Jan. 23, 1911, Serial In the present construction the drive ormotor shaft 1 is in axial alinement with the driven shaft 2 from whichthe speed or power is transmitted to the vehicle axle or any otherdevice with which the s eed transm1ss1on mechanism ma be use On. the endof the shaft 2 ad acent to the-motor shaft 1.is rigidly secured orintegrally formed a gear 3 havingexternal teeth, and whlch is recessedor cup shaped on its face ad acent to the shaft 1 and is .providedtherein with an internal gear 4:. v

The extreme inner end 5 of the shaft 1 is reduced in size and has abearing in a suitable seat 6 in the face of the gear '3.

is illustrated in the accompanying draw- The shaft 1, near its end 5, isprovided with keys or feathers 7 extending longitudinally of the shaftand which are preferably formed integrally therewith. Slidably mountedon the keyed portion of the shaft 1 .is the double drive gear 8, which,on the end adjacent to the internal gear 4:, is provided with the samenumber of external teeth 9 as there are teeth in the internal gear 4:.Said teeth 9 are adapted, when the doublev gear is in one position, tomesh or telescope with the gear 4 and drive the drivenshaft 2 at thesame speed as the motor-shaft 1,

thereby providing the high speed of the speed transmission mechanism.Since all of the teeth 9 mesh with all of the teeth of the gear 4', itis evidenb that when changing from a lower speed to high speed the shockwill be distributed evenly over the gears 8 and 4 and the danger ofstripping the teeth Wlll be entirely avoided. Furthermore thetelescoping nature of the gears renders it less difficult to make theconnection. The other end of the double gear 8 is cup shaped and isprovided with aninternal gear 10.

Rigidly securedon the shaft 1, adjacent to the keyed portion, is abushing 11 of brass. or other suitable material on which is journaled anelongated pinion 12. The pinion 12 may be held from longitudinalmovement on' the bushing in any'desired manner, but, as shown, thebushing is provided on its inner end with a flan e 13 againstwhich acorresponding shoul( er'in .the inion abuts to hold the pinion fromlongltudinal movement in one direction. On the outer end of the bushingare the nuts 14 which hold the pinion from movement in theoppositedirection. The teeth 15 of the pinion 12'are reduced in size at theirinner ends 16 to permit the internal gear 10 to be moved onto ortelescope with the same and thereby lock the pinion to the shaft 1. Thedouble gear 8 is provided with a yoke 17 by means of which 1t may beshifted into mesh with the gear 4. or the pinion 12, or held at aneutral point intermediate said gear and pinion, as shown in Fig. 1. Thegears 8 and 4 and the ends 16 of the teethof the pinion 12 form ineffect a clutch whereby either the shaft 2 or the pinion 12 may "belocked to the shaft 1.

The transmission shaft 18 extends parallel to the shafts 1 and 2 and isprovided with oppositely. disposed, longitudinal key seats i 32 adaptedto 19 and 20 which are formed in the arc .of a circle. Between the keyseats the shaft 18 is milled out longitudinally of the shaft to providegrooves 21, shown in Figs. 2 and 3. Bearing collars 22, 23, 24, and 25are mounted on the shaft and are provided with laterally extendingflanges or webs 26-which seat in the grooves 21 and prevent rotation ofthe collars on the shaft.

Journaled on the bearing collars are the transmission gears 27, 28, and29, which afford the second speed, low speed, and reverse drive,respectively. Each of said gears is provided with laterally extending,annular flanges 30 which are concentric with the axes of the gears andoverlap the hearing collars. The internal diameters of said flanges aregreater than the external di-- ameters of the collars, the shy providingbetween the same and sa collars ball races for the hearing balls 31, (inwhich the gears run. Mounted on the collars 23, 24 and 25, at the endsof the flangesfiO, are the washers hold the balls in the races,

and the collar 22 is provided with a flange '33 adaptedto hold the ballsat the outer end slipped off from the shaft and replaced by new ones.

Rigidly secured on the transmission shaft 18, adjacent to the gear 27 isthe fined transmission gear 34 which meshes with the gear 3 on the shaft2. The gear 2'? is always in mesh with the gear teeth 9 of the doublegear 8, and the gear 28 meshes with the pinion 12. An idler pinion 35 isjournaled ona. stud shaft 36 and meshes with the pinion 12 and thereverse gear 29.

Looking keys 37 and 38 are slidably and rockably mounted in the keyseats 19 and 20. The locking keys and the means for operating the sameare of the same construction and operation as those in my .00- pendingapplication above referred to, and therefore it will not be necessary tofully describe the details of the same since no claims in thisapplication are based thereon. The key 37 is provided on its inner endwith a locking lug 39 adapted to be rocked up into the recesses 40 inthe gear 2? and abut against abutments 41 in said gear to lock the gearto the shaft. The key 38 has two locking lugs 42 which are oppositelydisposed on its inner end and are adapted to be rocked. into-therecesses 40' in the gears 28 and 29. Two locking lugs 42 are req'niredon the key for the reason that that key rocks in one direction'to lockthe gear '28 to the shaft, and in the opposite direc keys are lugs tionto lock the gear 29 to the shaft. The ends of the locking lugs 39 and 42are provided with beveled shoulders 43 which are adapted to engagebeneath the beveled edges of the hearing rings when the keys are beingmoved out of locking position and thereby rock the keys to bring thelugs out of looking position. Near the outer ends of the 44 betweenwhich is mounted a grooved collar 45 to which is connected a forkedlever 46 by means of which the keys are moved longitudinally. On theouter ends of the keys are spindles 47, on Which are collars 48, 49 and50', and springs 51 and 52 adapted to rock the keys into lockingposition, as in my copending application above referred to.

The operation of the construction shown is as follows: When the partsare in the po-' sition shown in Fig. 1 and the motor shaft 1 is inoperation, the external gear 9 of the double gear 8 is rotating thetransmission shaft 13 by means of the gear 27- which is locked to theshaft 18 by means of the key 37. The fixed gear. 34 which meshes withthe gear 3 drives the shaft 2 at a less speed than tha-t'of the motorshaft 1. Thisprovides the second speed. When it is desired to drive theshaft 2 at high speed, or that of the motor-shaft, the keys 37 and 38are moved to the right sufficiently to throw the lug 39 out of therecess 40 but not sufficiently to move the lug 42 into locking positionin the gear 29. In that position both keys are neutral, that is theirlocking lugs are turned down into the key seats, and the gears 27, 28and 29 are all free to rotate on the shaft 18. The double gear 8 is thenshifted to the left to bring the teeth 9 into mesh with the internalgear 4, thereby directly connecting the driven shaft 2 to the motorshaft 1. The external gear 9 is always in mesh with the'tlELIlSDllSSlOIt'QiIP 27, but when thekey 37 is out of locking positionthe gear 27 simply runs idle on the shaft 18. .When it is desired to runat low speed the double drive gear 8 is shifted to bring the internalgear 1.0 iiito mesh with the teeth 16 of the pinion 12, thereby lockingthe pinion to the shaft 1, and the keys are shifted. to bring thelocking lug of the key 38 into locking position in the gear 28. When itis desired to reverse the movement of the shaft 2, the key 33 is shiftedto bringfits lug into locking position in the gear 29. a

While I have shown and described but one specific embodiment of theinvention it. will he understood that many details of the constructionshown may be altered or omitted without departing from the scope of theclaims.

I claim:

1. A. variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a motor shaft, adriven shaft in axial alinement with the motor ;nism, comprising axiallyalined drive and driven shafts, an elongated pinion loosely mounted onthe drive shaft having a clutch member on one end thereof, a gearslidably mounted on the drive shaft having a clutch member adapted toengage the clutch member on the pinion, a fixed gear on the driven shafthaving external and internal teeth, the

latter being adapted to be engaged b the slide gear, a transmissionshaft, loose" ears on the transmission shaft in mesh with said pinion, aloose gear on the transmission shaft in mesh with the slide gear, afixed gear on the transmission shaft in mesh with the external teeth ofthe gear on the-driven shaft, and means for locking the loose gears tothe transmission shaft.

3. A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a motor shaft, adriven shaft in axial alinement with the motor shaft, a transmissionshaft parallel with the motor shaft, permanently meshing loose gears onthe motor and transmission shafts, permanently meshing fixed gears onthe driven and transmission shafts, means for locking the loose gears onthe transmission shaft to said shaft, and a clutch on the motor shaftadapted when in one position to e11- gage the loose gear on the motorshaft and when in another position to engage the gear on the drivenshaft.

4- A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising ,a motor shaft, adriven shaft in axial alinement with the motor shaft, a transmissionshaft parallel with the motor shaft and driven shaft, intermeshing gearson the motor and transmission shafts and on the driven and transmissionshafts,

a loose gear on the transmission shaft, and

means on the motor shaft permanently in mesh with said loose gear andadapted when shifted in one direct-ion to drive the driven shaftdirectly from the motor shaft and when shifted in the opposite directionto drive the driven shaft through the intermediary of the transmissionshaft.

5. A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a motor shaft anda driven shaft in axial alinement, a transmission shaft parallel withsaid shafts, fixed intermeshing gears on the driven shaft andtransmission shaft, loose gears on the transmission shaft, means adaptedto look any of said loose gears to the transmission shaft, a loosepinion on the motor shaft in mesh with part of said loose gears andmeans on the motor shaft adapted when in one position to engage theother loose gear and thefixed gear on the driven shaft, and when inanother position to remain connected with said loose gear and beconnected with said pinion.

6. A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a motor shaft, adriven shaft in axial alinement therewith, a transmission shaft parallelwith the motor and driven shafts, intermeshing fixed gears on thetransmission and driven shafts, intermeshing loose gears on thetransmission and motor shafts, a loose gear on the transmission shaft, aslidable, non-rotative gear on the motor shaft, permanently in mesh withthe last named loose gear, and clutch means on the slidable gear adaptedwhen in one position to engage the fixed gear. on the driven shaft, andwhen in another position to lock the loose the shaft.

7. A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising axiallyalined.motor and driven shafts, a transmission shaft, intermeshing fixedgears on the transmission shaft and driven shaft, intermeshing loosegears on the transmission and motor shafts, and a clutch adapted when inone position tolcoact with the fixed gear on the driven shaft to drivethe driven shaft directly from the motor shaft and when in anotherposition to coact with the loose gear on the motor shaft to drive thedriven shaft through the intermediary of the transmission shaft.

8. A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a motor shaft anda driven shaft, coacting direct drive means adapted to drive the drivenshaft at high speed directly from the motor shaft, a transmission shaft,andmeans thereon permanently en-' gaging the parts of the drive means,and adapted when said parts are in another position to drive the drivenshaft at another speed.

9. A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising a motor shaft, adriven shaft in axial alinement therewith, a trans-.

mission shaft parallel with said shafts, a combined external andinternal gear rigidly fixed on the driven shaft, a double drive gearslidably mounted on the motor shaft and adapted'to mesh at one end withthe internal gear, a loose pinion on the drive shaft adapted to beengaged by the opposite end of the double gear, loose gears on thetransmission shaft meshing with said pin-- ion, a loose gear on thetransmission shaft meshing with the double gear, a fixed gear on thetransmission shaft meshing with the external gear on the driven shaft,and means for selectively locking the loose gears to the transmissionshaft.

10. A variable speed transmission mechanism, comprising axially alinedmotor and driven shafts, an internal and an external gear on the drivenshaft, a transmission shaft, a fixed gear on the transmission. shaftmeshing with said external gear, loose gears on the transmission shaft,means for selectively locking the loose gears to the transmission shaft,a pinion loosely mounted on the motor shaft and meshing with part ofsaid loose gears, and a double gear siidably mounted on the motor shaftand having an external gear at one end in mesh with one of the loosegears on the transmission shaft,

imaaeii and adapted to be thrown into mesh with the internal gear onthedriven shaft, and 15 having an internal gear at its other end adapted tobe thrown into mesh with said pinion.

In witness whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name in the presence oftwo wit- 20 nesses.

LEON J. CAMPBELL.

Witnesses JAS. T. HEALY, W. W. Wrrnnnnnnr.

